Duchess of Cambridge flies the flag for British fashion wearing Christopher Kane

Duchess of Cambridge flew the flag for British fashion at the Olympic opening
ceremony in London wearing Christopher Kane while Michelle Obama made a
patriotic dress choice with US designer J. Mendel.

US First Lady Michelle Obama (2dL) and US ambassador in Great Britain Louis Susman (L) are welcomed by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (R), at a reception at the Buckingham Palace, in LondonPhoto: AFP

By Rosa Silverman

9:39PM BST 27 Jul 2012

Michelle Obama, the American First Lady, was among almost 200 distinguished guests welcomed to the UK by the Queen the Duchess and other members of the Royal Family before the Olympics opening ceremony.

Both are leading ladies in their own countries, so Michelle Obama and the Duchess of Cambridge could be expected to find a few things to chat about when they met at Buckingham Palace tonight.

The wife of Barack Obama, the US president, was among the party of world leaders and others welcomed to the UK by the Queen before the Olympics opening ceremony.

Kate played hostess, along with her husband the Duke of Cambridge and other members of the Royal Family.

With the fashion choices of both women closely watched by many at home and abroad, all eyes were on the outfits each sported for the occasion.

Michelle Obama also made a patriotic dress choice, turning out in a basque and white pleated skirt by US designer J. Mendel.

With both women dazzling at the glittering reception, the jury was out on who outshone whom, but fashion commentators at Grazia magazine described Kate’s outfit as “a fitting ensemble for a meeting with America’s First Lady.”

It was not the first fashion face-off between the two women. That came more than a year ago, when they met at the Palace during a state visit by the Obamas to London.

Doing her bit for the special relationship again today, the Duchess offered Mrs Obama a warm greeting, giving her a big smile as she shook her hand.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were also joined by Prince Harry, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall as they made the visiting presidents, prime ministers and princes feel at home.

The guests numbered around 190 and included Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, who wants to end the tradition of her country having a British monarch as head of state.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev also attended along with German President Joachim Gauck.

Other British royals at the reception included the Duke of York and his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, and the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence.

The guests were served a range of canapes - quail's eggs with celery salt, smoked duck with melon, white cheese with caramelised nuts, smoked salmon on blinis and miniature vegetarian Cornish pasties.

The Queen, dressed in a pale blue silk dress by Karl Ludwig Rehse, told them: "Over recent months many in these islands have watched with growing excitement the journey of the Olympic torch around the United Kingdom.

"As the torch has passed through villages and towns it has drawn people together in families and communities.

"To me the spirit of togetherness is a most important part of the Olympic ideal, and the British people can be proud of the part they have played in keeping the spirit alive."

She added: "In all our national Olympic teams there is so much of which we can be proud; groups of young men and women dedicated to excellence and achievement across numerous sporting disciplines."

The Royal Family were consummate hosts, chatting to their guests and keeping them entertained in the palace's ballroom.

Harry, holding what looked like a soft drink in his hand, chatted to leaders from the Caribbean - St Lucia's prime minister Kenny Anthony and Ms Simpson Miller.

When the prince visited Jamaica for a Diamond Jubilee tour earlier this year Ms Simpson Miller hugged and kissed him, but the greeting this time was much more restrained.

William and Kate spent most of their time together.

David Cameron led the Government and was joined by his wife Samantha, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and his wife Miriam, Foreign Secretary William Hague and his wife Ffion, and Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Foreign royals were invited to the event included Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Norway's Crown Prince Haakon and Queen Sofia of Spain.

When the reception drew to a close, coaches began arriving to take some of the guests to the main event of the night, the highly-anticipated opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games.